Chapter 1

“Pop, crack, bang!”

In the empty dormitory, only the sound of keyboard typing echoed around. Case Hathaway slouched in his gaming chair. His fingers moved swiftly across the keyboard, but the game characters on the screen kept making mistakes. He had just graduated from college. His roommates were either carrying their resumes to job fairs or working internships arranged by their families. But Case, with his insanely wealthy father, led a careless life and didn’t even bother going home.

The vast Hathaway family villa was so quiet that echoes could be heard. It was hardly better than this cramped dormitory, where at least there was a hint of human presence. Case Hathaway clicked the pause button impatiently, then opened QQ by chance. A profile picture with the caption “Devoted Forever” appeared on the screen. It belonged to someone he had recently added as a friend online.

At first, he was just chatting out of boredom. But this girl’s words carried a maturity beyond her age. She said her name was Brent Haines, 22 years old. She was blind in her right eye, but she was determined to save money so she could continue studying design—a dream she wouldn’t give up on, no matter what fate brought her way.

Case Hathaway stared at the words on the screen, his fingers freezing in mid-motion. He had lived twenty-four years, getting whatever he wanted with a simple gesture. He had never even considered what “perseverance” meant. Brent Haines’s tenacity was like a thin needle, pricking his numb heart. For the first time, he realized that those twenty-odd years had been completely wasted.

Over time, the two of them grew more and more comfortable with each other in conversation. They talked about dreams and life, about confusion and hopes, as if they had known each other for years. Somehow, Case Hathaway typed out these words: “Let’s meet up.”

After sending it, he suddenly became nervous. It’s hard to tell what’s real or fake in the online world. He’d seen too many cases where things were ruined by being exposed online. But whenever he thought of Brent Haines’s voice—gentle yet powerful, from the voice messages she’d sent him secretly—he couldn’t suppress the anticipation in his heart.

The screen remained silent for ten full minutes. Just when Case Hathaway thought she would refuse, a single word appeared: “Okay.” At that moment, his heart skipped a beat. He was even more excited than when he scored five kills in a game.

The meeting place was a café with bead curtains. For once, Case Hathaway woke up two hours earlier than usual. He went through his wardrobe, picked out a simple white shirt, and spent a long time grooming himself in front of the mirror. He didn’t want to appear in the least bit disheveled in her presence.

He arrived an hour earlier than scheduled. He ordered an Americano, fiddling with his drink absentmindedly while staring fixedly at the beaded curtain at the entrance. Every time the “ding” sound rang out, his heart tightened. But every time he looked up, it wasn’t the person he was waiting for.

Half an hour passed. Case Hathaway’s mood grew increasingly somber. She fiddled with the cold rim of her cup, about to send her a message to ask if there was traffic. Then, a gentle voice spoke beside her: “Excuse me, are you Case Hathaway?”

He suddenly raised his head, freezing in place instantly.

The girl wore a simple white dress, with no unnecessary decorations. Yet, she resembled a white lotus atop a snowy mountain—pure and sacred. With delicate features and a cool demeanor, even just standing there, she could easily capture everyone’s attention. Case Hathaway was so captivated that he forgot to breathe properly.

The girl frowned slightly, a hint of distanciation flashing in her eyes. She asked again, her tone slightly deeper than before: “Are you Case Hathaway?”

Case Hathaway finally came back to his senses. His cheeks burned with embarrassment as he quickly stood up, his voice tinged with apology. “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize it. I’m Case Hathaway. And you… you’re Brent Haines?”

Brent Haines smirked slightly and reached out his hand. “It’s me. Sorry to keep you waiting.”

Her hands were cold, with thin calluses at the fingertips. Case Hathaway gently touched them before releasing his grip. His heartbeat quickened. He offered her a seat and was about to call the waiter when Brent Haines spoke up first: “I’ll take care of it myself. You’ve already ordered, haven’t you?”

Case Hathaway nodded, his gaze involuntarily lingering on her face. The more he looked, the more he was captivated by her. But when his eyes met her right eye, he froze. That eye lacked any expression, as if covered in a haze. It hung limply downward, creating a jarring contrast with her lively left eye.

The flutter in his heart was instantly replaced by hesitation. He suppressed that strange feeling and asked with a smile, “How did you recognize me at first glance?”

Brent Haines picked up the warm water he had just ordered, took a sip, then looked at him with a sly gleam in his eyes. “Look around. Besides you, no one else is sitting here waiting for a friend, looking all restless.”

Casey Hathaway looked around, and sure enough, just as she had said, she couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re really smart.”

“You’ve been waiting for a long time, haven’t you?” Brent Haines put down his cup, his gaze fixed on the coffee in front of him. “This coffee has gone cold by now, and there’s barely any left.”

Case Hathaway was taken aback. He hadn’t noticed these details himself. Looking into Brent Haines’ clear left eye, his hesitation grew deeper. Such a wonderful girl, yet with such a flaw… Should he get closer or stay away? What he didn’t see was that Brent Haines had clenched his hands under the table, a trace of unhappiness flashing in his eyes.